Hey everyone, Evan here!
It's been a very busy past few weeks, despite 2 hurricanes here in Florida, I've been able to make tremendous progress with the GM guide, Heroes, an...
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Evan — Nimble Co.
about 1 month ago
Pledge Manager Now Open! Big Freebies & Project Updates
Hey everyone, Evan here!
The Backerkit pledge manager and surveys just went out to all of the backers! Expect it in your inbox shortly if you haven't received it already. You'l...
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Evan — Nimble Co.
2 months ago
Big updates. Core Rules & Heroes v1.5 released! Next Steps
Core Rules v1.5 and Heroes v1.5 are out!
BIG changes to the core rules. The entire book has been organized better and more thoughtfully. Many clarifications, and tweaks. A few m...
Since the last update, the GM guide v1 has been released as well as V1.4 heroes! (and MUCH improved, check the same link you have from before, it's been updated. I want to respe...
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Evan — Nimble Co.
3 months ago
BIG updates with the Beta PDFs
Hello all! LOTS of work has been put into the beta documents, today I'm releasing v1.3 of the Heroes, Core Rules and character sheet. I hope to release the first draft of the GM...
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Evan — Nimble Co.
3 months ago
Thank you all. Heroes 1.1 Beta PDF is ready to download.
UPDATE AUG 23: core rules v1.1 now included below
Wow. A bigger update and roadmap planned soon, but for now please see below (all the way at the bottom) for the download links...
Wow, we smashed through the 200k stretch goal, the book upgrades will be a bit more expensive to produce, but thanks to the increased scale – I can afford to do it now at no additional cost to you all.
Only 2 stretch goals left, I'm really excited about the possibility of a Beastmaster Hunter, we've got a decent chance at making it since pledges tend to pick up toward the end of a campaign, and I've got some COOL ideas but I have to temper my excitement just a bit in case we don't.
On that note, I wanted to add just one more little reward to the last stretch goal on the off chance we make it to 250. Something I really wanted to do but didn't think I'd be able to. A Mini Bestiary for the GM book. This is NOT a full bestiary (that'd be it's own full project), but a few pages of some cool level appropriate monster groups. Enough to run with as a GM to create cool impromptu encounters.
Let's see if we hit it!
EU/UK shipping
In case you missed it in the last update, I have committed to using a EU/UK based fulfillment partner to get the shipping prices down to much more reasonable levels.
Upcoming PDF release plans & feedback
I plan on releasing the beta PDFs for playtesting & feedback very soon after the campaign ends (within 24 hrs, and hopefully sooner than that). The feedback received on the free preview documents has already been fantastic and I've implements many of the suggestions already. If you'd like to join in on the feedback and playtesting to help make Nimble the best it can be, most of that discussion will be happening on the Nimble Discord server.
Note: I'm not currently looking for feedback on typos (I've got some very talented editors helping me with that already) that'll get sorted out before final print. The best kind of feedback is if something is unclear as written, if something is mechanically too complicated or underwhelming, or balance (something super broken or underpowered–a little broken is okay 💪).
Final Livestreams
The next livestream will be tomorrow, Tuesday at 1pm EDT - going over some more class previews (SONGWEAVER) and maybe another live design session for the Oathbreaker, Spellblade, or (if we hit the stretch goal by then, the BEASTMASTER). Here's the link: https://youtube.com/live/A2y11nmw_fA
I'm planning on doing a livestream during the last day of the campaign in the closing hours, Backerkit has an "overtime mode" for campaigns that extends the time by 10 minutes each time someone new pledges, so it might be fun to see how things shake out before its all said & done. I will be traveling and in a new place that day, but I'll have my computer and an internet connection so barring any unforeseen circumstances, we'll be live as the campaign ends, answering questions and doing a read through of the rules, maybe an adventure preview too.
The response has been absolutely amazing. Thanks to all of you, the project is off to a great start: we funded in just about 15 minutes yesterday and are currently over 1000% of our original funding goal. 🤯 I am so very thankful for you all, with your help I promise to make this the absolute best it can be!
Now onto the Mystery Subclass reveal! The OATHBREAKER! Man I'm so excited for this, I can't even tell you... Instead of being a regular subclass chosen at level 3, this is going to be a special Story Driven Subclass. A player will be able to choose this subclass at ANY point along the level curve, when the story demands it. I love the idea of someone playing an Oathsworn, and watching something terrible happen (losing a party member, BBEG tempting or backstabbing them) and the BREAKING THEIR OATH... wow, that just seems too cool.
STRETCH GOALS
I waited to announce any stretch goals since I wanted to hear what YOU all are most interested in. As much as I'd love to, I don't think I can do ALL of them, but I want to do as many as I can. Let me know which ones to prioritize.
Fancy Dice. We've all got plenty of dice, but do we have enough fAnCy dice? (Included for free in the Boxed Set) Cloth Map. Who doesn't love a cloth map? Art TBD, likely of the adventure area for the starting adventure. (Included for free in the Boxed Set) BIG Legendary Monster Cards. Full are on one side to show (and intimidate) your players. Easy to read statblock on the back for convenience. Tarot Sized. (Included for free in the Boxed Set) More Subclasses. Let me know what you're most excited about. Spellblade? (Included for free with all tiers). Metal Action Trackers. Honestly, you don't need these, you can use dice or just your memory, 3 isn't that hard to count to. But having a hefty metal physical thing to interact with... mmm something about that... (Included for free in the Boxed Set) Holofoil Cards. Shiny. Need I say any more? (Included for free in the Boxed Set) Bigger Adventure. Up to level 4? Level 5? A sandbox style choose your own adventure? (Included for free with all tiers).
It's been a very busy past few weeks, despite 2 hurricanes here in Florida, I've been able to make tremendous progress with the GM guide, Heroes, and Core Rules books. You can use the same link you received earlier if you backed or preordered, and I'll be sending out a link via backerkit shortly as well.
Changes
A BUNCH of new adventure content has been added, the core rules has been streamlined and reads much more smoothly now, and the heroes are much better balanced as well. Still more work to do yet, but we're getting close! Lots of playtesting, proof reading, waiting on some more art and writing, but we're getting close to having a finished game now! Once the files are finalized, the price is going to up to the normal retail price, FYI. Want to give people a fair warning.
For the core rules, the 1.8 draft is testing doing what we did for STR/CON (and a bunch of skills) with WIS and CHA. Combining them into one more useful stat as well as a few other minor tweaks. It's a minor change that has a bunch of quality of life improvements while not affect balance or class flavor, just streamlining the character sheet and eliminating dump stats/trap options. Feedback so far has been positive, and I think this is how it should have been from the very beginning.
Numerous other small tweaks, balance changes, and layout updates as well. Everyone on the Discord server has been just absolutely fantastic, so BIG thank you to the entire community.
Shipping
I've finally been able to lock down shipping weight and prices with my fulfillment partner, they've told me these prices are inclusive of VAT and other fiddly charges so there should't be any surprises. Whether or not you've already filled out your survey you can confirm the shipping prices look correct (please let me know if anything looks off though). UPS ground in the chart below is for US only, international orders will be handled by my fulfilment partner.
Printing
I'm finalizing talks with the printers waiting on one more thing that's coming this week (there's a chance we can print in the EU and have a quicker turn around time). I want to put on your radar that the different printers have VERY different delivery estimates, some estimate just 10-12 weeks, others estimate delivery all they way out to APRIL of next year. Not sure if either one is being overly optimistic or pessimistic but I want you all to know what I know.
About the bonus map in the boxed set, I'm unsure if the printer can make it to our specs in cloth (more on that soon), at minimum it'll include a paper one but I'm still pushing for cloth. I am also confirming that the softcovers will all be upgraded to hardcover books. The vast majority of people saw this as an upgrade, it'll cost me more but will simplify printing & logistics (and it's higher quality).
If you want to adjust your order with this information please do so, I don't want anyone disappointed.
As always feel free to DM me on discord or email me directly [email protected] with any questions or issues and I'll do what I can to help.
Following on from my previous post, I've now read the v1.8 core rules and my same criticism still applies. Unless you are already proficient in running a 5e RAW game, you are going to have a hard time with this. To someone who has not run a 5e game it comes across as confusing and not very well organised. This is not a standalone product and it needs to be made crystal clear that this is so.
If you like, it has the same relationship with 5e as original D&D did with Chainmail. You're not going to able to run the one unless you understand the other.
And I'm going to be brutally honest here, for the large amount of money raised, the layout, proofreading and general coherence and organisation are not at the required level. This needs and deserves (and can afford) a professional editor, not a crowd sourced review.
I'm going to call this one how I see it. I just read the v1.6 core rules and as a non-5e ref it was largely gobbledigook to me. I think it needs to be made clearer this is not a standalone product and really requires knowledge of 5e to use easily or effectively.
